Artist and Musician Brian Anthony Hardie

The Importance of Warming Up

I went for a number years with little or no warm-up before practicing or playing a gig. It never seemed really necessary. Playing a lot of gigs for over a decade was a big help in keeping me thinking that way and I learned a lot from a bass teacher who was familiar with physiology.

But as the years went by, some pain began to creep in from time to time. It usually passed quickly but became a bit more frequent. This made me realize that I had to get back to warming-up or risk not being able to play as well or as often.

Serious as that sounds, the reasons for warming up are very simple. The movements in playing bass guitar are relatively small and with a well setup instrument, they shouldn’t painful.

In my case, I’ve come to the realization that it boils down to circulation. Keep…